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Rating: If the name Jorge Ben doesn't ring a bell for someone, everyone knows who he is when the notes of "Mas, que nada" start playing, his first big hit dated 1963.
This classic of bpm (Brazilian popular music) was brought to success by Sergio Mendes, and later experienced a second youth here in Europe in '98 thanks to a Nike TV commercial (remember the Brazilian national team playing football at the airport and Ronaldo hitting the post? there you go) and finally, today, sees a new revival with the reinterpretation by Mendes himself with the Black-Eyed Peas. Traced back to the heterogeneous Tropicalia, which, in general, mixed bpm and forrò with blues and rock & roll, the uniqueness of Ben lies entirely in his ability to convey joy with simple and immediate compositions but never banal.
So don't expect the saudade or the frequent sad tendencies in carioca and Brazilian music in general, here it's all about partying and the carefree and overwhelming samba of the '60s and '70s. It ranges from the chaotic samba of "Bebete Vaobora" complete with brass to the calmer one (but not too much) of "O telefone..." or "Os Alquistas", always with the guitar prominently setting the rhythm along with percussion borrowed from the "baterias" of samba schools.
The CD also contains some excerpts from the album 'Africa/Brasil' (1976), possibly his masterpiece, in which Ben shows clear African influences and skillfully mixes them with the purest rock. The stunning guitar riff that opens "Ponta de Lança africano" is the beginning of a mix of choruses and percussion with a driving rhythm. A famous case of plagiarism then for the song "Taj Mahal", which already on the first listen sounds familiar: impossible not to recognize "do you think I'm sexy", Rod Stewart's hit; one chorus is a copy of the other, it's up to you to figure out who copied whom, I'll just say that Ben's song is from 1972....
In conclusion, an excellent collection suited for those who want to discover an artist of great value, but also for those looking for some songs that bring joy with rhythms and choruses that stick in your head from the first listen and don't leave. Turn up Jorge Ben to full volume, enjoy the Brazilian summer all year round, and, if you manage, try not to dance.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
19 Que Maravilha (04:06)
Lá fora está chovendo
Mas assim mesmo eu vou correndo
Só prá ver o meu amor
Ela vem toda de branco
Toda molhada e despenteada, que maravilha
Que coisa linda que é o meu amor
Por entre bancários, automóveis, ruas e avenidas
Milhões de buzinas tocando sem cessar
Ela vem chegando de branco, meiga e muito tímida
Com a chuva molhando o seu corpo
Que eu vou abraçar
E a gente no meio da rua do mundo
No meio da chuva, a girar, que maravilha
A girar, que maravilha
A girar
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